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8 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Christian

Hollywood and its celebrities often make bad decisions, putting out bad movies full of sex and violence, getting arrested for driving drunk, and generally ignoring the problems of others. But that’s not always the case. There are plenty of Christians representing their faith and values, even as celebrities. Take a look at these eight celebs you didn’t know were Christian.

While spending time in prison for his dog-fighting conviction, NFL star Michael Vick found his way back to his faith in God. He has since spoken openly about his conversion and how he is no longer worried about his future because it is in God’s hands. He continues to perform on the football field, but is taking his spiritual life more seriously than his athletic career.

Whether you love his work or continue to be baffled about who actually thinks it’s funny, Tyler Perry is a huge success in the world of TV and movies. And he’s not afraid to have his characters proclaim or struggle with their Christian faith. That’s because Perry himself is a Christian and aims to use his projects to show the power of forgiveness and healing through humor.

The LOST star may curse like a sailor and say some scandalous things to friends, but she’s also a charitable, modest Christian. Lilly refuses to do nude scenes and makes it clear she won’t show too much skin. She also uses some of her earnings to do missionary relief work in Rwanda. Acting may be her day job, but helping others is her passion.

One of Hollywood’s favorite leading men, Denzel Washington, grew up surrounded by faith and church. His father was a Pentecostal preacher, and Washington has been active in his church for 30 years. Though Washington doesn’t try to push his beliefs on anyone else, he’s not ashamed to say that he believes in the Trinity and the Bible.

Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth, who got her start on Broadway, winning a Tony in 1999, grew up in a strong Christian family. She’s transitioned to television, with roles on Glee and GCB, catching some heat for the latter’s portrayal of Christians. But Chenoweth has declared that she can show that Christians aren’t perfect without mocking her own faith and that she aims to be a non-judgmental Christian.

Though actress Reese Witherspoon doesn’t open up about her faith, she keeps up the Episcopalian faith she grew up with by attending church with her family each Sunday and teaching her children the Christian values she learned when she was young. She has also spoken out to try to encourage young girls to be "good girls," help them discover that they are strong and capable, and show them that they don’t need a sex tape or bad-girl image to prove themselves.

Jane Fonda, a sex symbol in the ’70s, may not be the first person who pops into your mind when you think of Christian celebrities. But after her marriage to Ted Turner ended, she became a born-again Christian. Even though she doesn’t fall into the exact, literal beliefs that many churches think make a person a real Christian, Fonda has said she believes in the teachings of Jesus and that makes her a Christian.

OK, if you’re a Belieber, you’re probably well aware that singing sensation Justin Bieber is a Christian, but those who only know of the angel-voiced idol may not know about his religion. Bieber’s faith was showcased in his movie Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and helped give tweens a Christian role model to look up to. In fact, many spiritual leaders and pastors used the film to promote a clean, family-friendly lifestyle to their children and youth groups.